I'd love to know more about this.
Canadian professor detained in Israel Jul. 14, 2006. 08:24 PM
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WADSWORTH, Ohio — The family of an Israeli-Canadian professor who was arrested in Israel appealed to that country's government Friday for information about his detention.
"We need to know where he is, why he's being held," said Naail Falah, 23, son of Ghazi Falah, a geography professor at the University of Akron who writes about Israel's borders and those of a potential Palestinian state.
Falah, who has dual Israeli and Canadian citizenship, was arrested last Saturday on a beach south of the Israel-Lebanon border, his family said.
Israeli police and Israel's embassy in the United States were not able to provide any information about Falah on Friday. Joshua Silverberg, an embassy spokesman, said government offices in Israel were closed for the Sabbath.
Falah previously has been accused of using academic settings to advance anti-Israel political ideas.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, said there has to be a reason beyond Falah's writings for his arrest.
"I doubt that Israel would detain someone with an academic affiliation. There has to be more to it," he said.
In 2002, the centre issued a criticism of a paper Falah had written.
His son said Falah was taking photographs in a tourist district when he was taken into custody. His arrest occurred before hostilities began this week between Israel and Hezbollah militants based in South Lebanon.
Falah had left for Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, on July 4 to visit his mother in hospital and had taken a break to visit a beach.
"He's a good person. It's not in his nature to bring harm on his family," Naail Falah said.
The U.S. State Department, Canadian officials and Falah's brother in Haifa have tried to obtain information about his detention.
U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack could only confirm Falah is an Israeli citizen.
Ghazi Falah's wife, Jamila, said not knowing what happened to her husband is difficult.
"It's very tough, it's very hard," she said.
"We're trying to do our best."
Naail Falah said the family became even more concerned after the outbreak of fighting in South Lebanon. Hezbollah missiles hit Haifa on Wednesday.
"That's what's scary. That's what's bothering us," he said.
Falah has worked at the University of Akron for five years. University spokesman Ken Torisky declined comment Friday about Falah.